VP Harris to meet with Amazon Labor Union and other grassroots organizers

Vice President Kamala Harris and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh will meet with union leaders Thursday including Christian Smalls, the former Amazon employee who helped successfully organize workers at an Amazon facility in Staten Island.

The meeting, which will take place at the White House, will also involve grassroots labor organizers representing employees from Starbucks and the outdoor equipment retailer REI, among others.

The news of Christian Smalls' meeting with key Biden administration officials marks the latest recognition of Amazon Labor Union and Smalls' organizing, sharply contrasting with the light Amazon once tried to cast on him and his efforts. Smalls was fired two years ago from the New York City warehouse that he recently helped unionize following his participation in a walkout over the company's pandemic response. An executive at Amazon once suggested undercutting his organizing efforts by painting him as "not smart, or articulate."

Asked for comment, Smalls said "there's a lot of work we need to do to improve the labor laws in this country so that workers are protected while organizing." He added that he is "looking forward" to visiting the Senate, but he did not say whether he would be attending meetings or if so with whom.

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